UAE-based Fintech Alaan Pledges AED3 Million to Support SMEs with Utility, Telecom Bills

UAE-based fintech Alaan has launched "Alaan Sawa: Better Together," a support programme that pledges AED3 million in benefits to help up to 1,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UAE manage essential business costs. The initiative will cover utility and telecom payments — including DEWA, SEWA, ADDC, Empower, du, and Etisalat — with eligible companies able to receive up to AED3,000 in assistance over the next three months. Participating firms will also receive free access to Alaan’s corporate card and cross-border payment platform for six months.

“We’ve seen businesses across the UAE continue to adapt, support their teams, and keep going through a challenging period,” said Parthi Duraisamy, co-founder and CEO, Alaan. “Alaan Sawa is a way for us to step in where it matters – by covering essential costs and making it easier for businesses to support each other.”

Programme details and eligibility

Alaan Sawa targets UAE-registered companies with between 10 and 250 employees. Benefits will be rolled out in phases as Alaan secures additional partners for the scheme, and existing Alaan customers in high-contact sectors such as food & beverage, hospitality, and tourism may qualify based on their account profile.

• Overall pledge: AED3 million in benefits.
• Target reach: up to 1,000 SMEs.
• Utility and telecom coverage: DEWA, SEWA, ADDC, Empower, du, Etisalat.
• Per-company support: up to AED3,000 over three months.
• Platform access: free corporate card and cross-border payments for six months.

In addition to direct payments for utilities and telecom services, the initiative launches the Sawa Partner Network — a marketplace-style feature within Alaan’s platform that allows participating businesses to offer services, discounts or other benefits to one another directly. The network is intended to facilitate peer-to-peer commercial support and to encourage cross-sector collaboration among SMEs on the platform.

Co-founder Karun Kurien, who alongside Parthi Duraisamy leads Alaan, has helped position the company to offer both card and payments infrastructure to corporate clients across the region. The Alaan Sawa announcement underscores the firm's dual role as a payments provider and a partner in small-business resilience, combining immediate financial relief with access to digital finance tools.

Outlook

By coupling short-term bill support with six months of fee-free platform access, Alaan aims to reduce operational pressure on SMEs while onboarding them to its corporate payments ecosystem. With benefits due to be distributed in phases, the ultimate reach of AED3 million will depend on partner participation and the mix of qualifying businesses that apply. For SMEs in F&B, hospitality and tourism — sectors explicitly noted as potentially eligible — the package offers both direct cost relief and a route to digitalise payments and expense management through Alaan’s corporate card and cross-border services.